The Osceola times., 1887-07-09
peopls around On quitting the am.


due him for wages This money he
had carefully boarded, using no more
OF 1t than was absolutely necessary.
Latterly he had carried it wrapped in
the handkerchief which the dog had
snatched from the hand of Marguerite
Tontay, on the evening when Jean hid
from them as they passed along the
pathway leading up to Monsieur Ton
tay's dwelling.
On the evening when he reached
Lussac, Jean sought out in the wood a
hiding place for his money, and for
that purpose selected the hollow in
fork of large tree which grew near
the edge of a coppice.
1t so happened that that day Mon
sieur Jarente was expecting two friends
to breakfast from Chaurigny. and they
were to take the road along the bank
of the river Vienne. He went to the
hill on which the coppice was situated
TO see whether there was any signs of
his expected guests, as from that spot
the road was distinctly visible for sew.
eral miles.
As he reclined on the bank by tho
side of the coppice he heard footsteps.
and, glancing up cautiously, he saw q
roughly-dressed man approach tall
tree near by, and, after looking this
way and that, deposit something in the
fork of the tree, standing upon tiptoe
TO do so. Then the man hastily retired
and Monsieur Jarente saw him creep
along the side of the coppice down to-
ward the village.
Monsieur Jarente's curiosity was
excited and he went 10 the tree to see
what the man had placed there. He
drew forth small bundle which he
discovered contained money. An old
of fine texture, covered
the treasure. Monsieur Jarente united
the knots, and, observing a name in
one corner of the handkerchief. exam
ined it closely.
His amazement was extreme when
he read without difficulty, in neat,
plain hand, the name Marguerite
Tontay."
In an instant he associated the hand
kerchief and the man with the murder
of Monsieur Tontay. Replacing the
bundle he fastened homeward and in
formed Madame Tontay of what he
had discovered. They talked over the
affair and reached the conclusion that
this must be the tramp who had assas-
sinated Monsieur Tontay, and the hand
kerchief and money had both come
from the person of the murdered man.
Monsieur Jarenete at once communi-
Gated to a constable the facts narrated
above, and two officers were placed in
hiding to secure the man when he re-
turned for the bundle.
At three o'clock in the afternoon
Jean crept up toward the coppice, and
had just reached up and secured the
treasure when he was seized by the
officers. His fright was so great that
he temporarily lost consciousness.
When his faculties were restored he
was told that he was suspected of the
murder of Monsieur Tontay at LIZ
Fare several months previous He
denied the crime, and told what was
considered an incoherent and improb-
able story about his having seen an
other person commit the deed.
After the usual formalities, Jean wa:
transferred to the town of Vitry, il
Cham paigne. There he narrated with
absolute particularly the facts a,
known to the reader, and distinctly
identified Louis Jarente and Marguer
ite Tontay. The story of the finding
of the handkerchief was confirmed in {
remarkable way, for two Of Monsieur
Tontay's domestics testified that Mar
guerite told them the same evening o
her handkerchief having been snatchet
from her by her uncle's dog, and o
having failed to recover it.
1t was hard to believe that Louis ia
rente and Marguerite would engage il
such a dreadful conspiracy against th'
life of Monsieur Tontay, and the au
thorities were loath to act. But Jeal
suddenly remembered another fact
a most important one.
After the man had stabbed tn
other,n said Jean, "he drew the knit
out Of the back. Then he came to
ward that part of the barn where | wa
lying and thrust the knife into the wa
close by the window-port. l heard
drop down"
Jean was taken to the barn and h
pointed out the place into which tn
knife was thrust. The easement wa
worn away. and there. sure enough
was hole in the woodwork TIL
half-rotten wood was speedily removed
and the knife was found. IL was iden
titled beyond doubt as the propert
of Louis Jarente.
Louis and Marguerite were convicte'
of the crime, and Louis was sentence,
TO imprisonment for life. Marguerite
was imprisoned for one year. And $
Monsieur Jarente became the instru
ment to convict his own son of dread
full crime and to avenge the death O
the man whom he had so cruell
wronged. -C Cincinnati Enquirer.